Health, schools to remain focus points - The Hindu

Today’s Corporation budget will include proposals to improve facilities

THE HINDU This year, a number of slum residents are likely to be rehabilitated to other parts of the city. This may lead to a dip in numbers in Chennai Schools — File Photo

The Chennai Corporation is likely to continue its focus on health and education in the 2013-2014 budget session on Monday.

Last year too, a number of schemes on health and education were announced by Mayor Saidai Duraisamy. Proposals to improve infrastructure in schools run by the civic body are likely to be part of the announcements this year too.

Models from European countries that are found suitable for Chennai conditions are likely to be adopted to improve quality of education in Chennai Schools where a majority of children from slums are enrolled.

Announcements pertaining to 30 new English-medium primary and middle schools were made in the 2012-2013 budget. While some schools are functional, work is in progress on the others.

The civic body is likely to undertake special outreach programmes with pamphlets, interactions and advertisements during the admission season.

Announcements to tackle the decline in the number of students in Chennai Schools are likely.

Last year, spoken English classes were announced for classes VI, VII and VIII and refresher courses in spoken English were organised for students of classes IX, X and XII. This year, a number of slum residents are likely to be rehabilitated to other parts of the city. This may lead to a dip in numbers at Chennai Schools in many areas.

The civic body, in the last budget, announced construction of 64 additional buildings on existing school campuses to make space for more classrooms. Career guidance centres and libraries were proposed to be set up in all high and higher secondary schools. Preliminary work is under way.

Health is likely to be another major focus of the civic body’s budget. Optimum use of facilities at the new Communicable Diseases Hospital in Tondiarpet may be stressed upon. However, there is little progress on last year’s announcements pertaining to a hospital in Madambakkam. The announcement was expected to help people in the southern parts of the city.

As many as 27 announcements on public health and family welfare, and 29 on education were made in the previous budget. A similar set of announcements is likely this year too.